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 UCSB Enters ampm Big West Tournament As Fifth Seed
UC Santa Barbara, which won the Big West Conference regular season and tournament championships in 2010, will enter the 2011 league tourney as the fifth-seeded team. The Gauchos will play fourth-seeded Pacific in the first round of the tournament Honda Center. The Gauchos will play the Tigers 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Long Beach State-UC Irvine game, which will tip-off at noon.

 The Gaucho Record
UCSB enters its first round game in the Big West Tournament against Pacific with an overall record of 15-13 and a Big West Conference mark 8-8. In their final regular season game, the Gauchos ended a three-game losing streak with a 49-43 Blue-Green Rivalry win over visiting Cal Poly, the second seed in the conference's tournament.

 Gauchos Guaranteed Sixth Straight Winning Record
With a 15-13 record entering the Big West Tournament, UCSB is pretty much guaranteed of its sixth consecutive winning season. The streak of consecutive winning seasons is the longest during the tenure of head coach Bob Williams and it equals the longest stretch in school history. Previously, Ralph Barkey guided the program to six straight winning campaigns from 1970-76.

 Johnson Named First Team All-Big West, Nunnally Honorable Mention
UCSB junior guard Orlando Johnson was named First Team All-Big West for the second consecutive year on Monday and junior James Nunnally was named honorable mention. Johnson, who enters the ampm Big West Tournament as the conference's leading scorer at 20.3 points per game, was not only a first team honoree in 2009-10, but he was also the league's Player of the Year. The native of Seaside, Calif., is also ranked among the Big West top-10 in rebounding at 6.6 per game, field goal percentage at 46.9%, free throw percentage at 82.0%, steals at 1.18 per game and three-point field goals made at 1.82 per game. Johnson is the first Gaucho player since Alex Harris to be named first team all-league in consecutive years. Harris earned his honors in 2006-07 and 2007-08. Overall, four UCSB players have accomplished the feat. In addition to Johnson and Harris, Doug Rex and John Tschogl were both First Team All-Big West (PCAA, actually) in 1969-70 and 1970-71. Nunnally is averaging 16.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He is currently ranked fourth in the league in scoring, third in free throw percentage at 82.4%, sixth in three-point field goals at 2.04 per game and eighth in minutes played at 33.39 per game.

 Serna Expected To Play In Big West Tournament
Junior forward Jaimé Serna injured his right shin during the second half of UCSB's 49-43 win over Cal Poly in the final game of the regular season but he has practiced the last two days and is expected to play. Serna is averaging 7.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game overall, but in the last five games he has averaged 10.0 points and 6.0 rebounds while making 20-of-29 shots from the field, 69.0%. Earlier in the season, the Laguna Beach, Calif., native missed six games with a strained groin.

 Probable Starters - Quick Fact
F 0 Jaimé Serna - Shin contusion may limit him in Big West Tournament.
G 3 Jordan Weiner - Needs one three-point basket to get to 100 for his career.
G 11 Justin Joyner - His 130 steals ranks third in school history.
F 21 James Nunnally - Now has 125 career three-pointers, ninth in school history.
G 33 Orlando Johnson - Has 568 points this year the sixth-most all-time.

 Probable Reserves - Quick Fact
G 10 Kyle Boswell -Made 10-of-20 three-pointers during the regular season.
G 20 Will Brew -Has made 2-of-15 field goal attempts in the last four games.
G 24 Christian Peterson - Has 11 rebounds in 31 minutes over his last seven appearances.
F 25 Lucas Devenny - Had four rebounds on March 5 vs. Cal Poly.
F 32 Jon Pastorek - Recorded a career-high four blocked shots in win vs Cal Poly.
F 41 Seth Kamphoefner - Senior has played in one game this season.
G 43 Troy Leaf - Has scored 23 of his 51 points in the last four games.
C 55 Greg Somogyi - Has 128 career blocked shots ranking him third in school history.

 The Gauchos vs. The Big West
UCSB will play Pacific in the first round of the Big West Tournament. The Gauchos were swept by the Tigers in the season series this year, losing 57-54 in Stockton on a buzzer-beating three-pointer on Jan. 8 and then 74-68 in Santa Barbara on Feb. 3.

 The Gauchos Away From Home
UCSB has a 6-9 record in games away from home. The Gauchos are 5-8 in true road games and 1-1 in neutral site contests. In their last road outing, they lost at Long Beach State, 71-53, and they now have a three-game road losing streak. The five wins in true road games came at UC Riverside, Cal Poly, UC Davis, UNLV and Santa Clara. The neutral site win came over Denver at Eugene, Ore.

 Gauchos Moving Up
Four UCSB players have moved up on various career and single season statistical lists. Here is a look at the four.

 Johnson-Nunnally Shatter All-Time One-Two Punch Record, Equal Single Game MarkOrlando Johnson and James Nunnally continue to rank 1-2 on the team in scoring. Johnson leads the Big West Conference at 20.3 points per game while Nunnally is now fourth at 16.6 per game. As a duo, Johnson and Nunnally have combined for 1,033 points, an average of 36.9 points per game. Their total of 1,033 points is the most that two players have combined for in a single-season in UCSB history. The previous all-time record of 1,019 points was set in 2007-08 by Alex Harris and James Powell and in 2006-07 by Harris and Chris Devine. On Feb. 5, in an overtime win over UC Davis, Johnson tied a school record with 39 points and Nunnally added 23. The 62 points equaled the highest two-player combined output in a single game in Gaucho history, a mark first set on Nov. 30, 1985 at Montana State when Scott Fisher (39) and Conner Henry (23) also combined for 62.

 Johnson Ties UCSB Single-Game Scoring Record
Junior guard Orlando Johnson scored 39 points in UCSB's 93-86 overtime win over UC Davis on Feb. 5, tying the school record for points in a game. The mark was first set by Scott Fisher on Nov. 30, 1985 in a game at Montana State. Johnson's 39 points were the most ever scored by a Gaucho player at the Thunderdome and, for that matter, at home, breaking the record of 37 set by Don Ford on Mar. 1, 1975, in a game against Portland at Robertson Gymnasium.

 Johnson's Double-Figure Streak Ends In Regular Season Finale
Entering the regular season's final game against Cal Poly, Orlando Johnson had scored in double-figures 57 times in his 57 games as a Gaucho. It was the longest streak of consecutive double-figure scoring in school history. In the game against the Mustangs, Johnson was held to six points, ending the streak. Last year, Johnson became just the second UCSB player on record to score in double-figures in every game over an entire season. Previously, Raymond Tutt (1996-97) was the only player to have done so.

 Johnson, Nunnally Join 1,000 Point ClubOrlando Johnson scored 31 points in UCSB's Feb. 10 win at UC Riverside and in doing so, he became the 25th Gaucho ever to achieve the 1,000 point mark for his career. The junior hit the mark in just his 52nd game in Santa Barbara and now has 1,098. On Jan. 29, in a game against Cal State Northridge, junior James Nunnally became the 24th player in school history to score 1,000 points. Nunnally now has 1,034 career points.

 Stolen Moments
UCSB had 12 steals in its Feb. 26 game at Long Beach State. It was the team's highest total since it also had 12 in a Jan. 6 win at UC Davis. The team had 17 steals in the Nov. 12 season opener against Denver, the third most in school history. The Gauchos, who had five steals in their regular season finale against Cal Poly, lead the Big West in steals at 7.5 per game. Their 28-game total of 210 is the sixth most in school history. They need just two to move into fifth-place, six to move into fourth and seven to move into third all-time. Justin Joyner leads the team with 47 steals, a figure that ties him for seventh on the single-season list.

 The Streakless Gauchos
The 2010-11 UCSB team has not been one of streaks. The longest winning streak this season has been three games, accomplished during the preseason. The longest losing streak has been three games, suffered in the three games prior to the season finale against Cal Poly. This marks the first time in Bob Willams' 13-year tenure in Santa Barbara that the Gauchos did not have a three-game winning streak during the league season. It also marks just the second time over that 13 year period that they haven't put together at least one four-game winning streak. The only other time was in 2004-05 when UCSB went 11-18 overall and 7-11 in conference games. That was the last year the Gauchos had a losing record.

 Honorable Gauchos
UCSB players received four Big West Player of the Week honors in 2010-11. Juniors Orlando Johnson and James Nunnally have each been honored twice. Johnson was selected Player of the Week on Nov. 29 and Jan. 17 and Nunnally was chosen on Dec. 6 and Dec. 20.

 Where's The Justice?
A pair of UCSB's best defensive efforts this year came in games at Pacific and at home against Boise State. In the Gauchos' game at Stockton on Jan. 8, they limited the Tigers to 36.7 shooting overall and 31.6% from three-point range. The result? A 57-54 loss when Pacific made a three-point basket at the buzzer. On Feb. 19, UCSB limited Boise State to 33.3% shooting overall and 26.3% from outside the arc. The result? A 78-76 defeat when the Broncos made a buzzer-beating put-back at the end of overtime.

 Let Free Throws Ring!
If there is one aspect of the Gauchos game has been rock-solid this season it has been free throws. UCSB enters the ampm Big West Tournament as the best team in the league at 76.0% from the free throw line, a figure that ranks12th in the nation. Three out of five Santa Barbara starters are shooting 82.2% or better. The Gauchos, who shot better than 80.0% in a game just three times last season, have done so 12 times in 28 games in 2010-11. The all-time record for free throw percentage of 77.2% was set in 1982-83.

 The Dark Side Of Free Throws
UCSB is enjoying one of its best seasons ever at the free throw line. In the three games prior to the Mar. 5 game against Cal Poly, however, the Gauchos were at a major free throw disadvantage. In the three games, Santa Barbara made 42-of-55, 76.4%, but Boise State, Cal State Northridge and Long Beach State combined to hit 80-of-104, 76.9%. UCSB was outscored by 38 points at the free throw line over that span, an average of 12.7 per game.

 Block Party
As a team, UCSB has blocked a league-leading 120 shots in 2010-11, tied for the fourth most in school history. Center Greg Somogyi leads the way with 53, also a Big West-leading statistic. Jaimé Serna, who missed six games because of injury, has blocked 21 shots while Orlando Johnson and Jon Pastorek have 16 and 12 respectively. In the Gauchos' Mar. 5 finale against Cal Poly, UCSB set a new school record by blocking 14 of the Mustangs' shots. Somogyi led the swatfest with six, his second highest total ever and tied for the second most in school history. Last year, in a game at Fresno State, the 7-foot-3 Hungarian had a record eight blocked shots. In addition to his six, Pastorek (4) and Johnson (3) each added career-highs against Cal Poly.

 Wanted: A Shooting Touch
Based on the regular season's final four games, the Gauchos have misplaced their shooting touch. After leading the Big West Conference in field goal percentage for most of the year, UCSB has fell into a slump over the final four, shooting below 40.0% in three of the games and just 44.0% in the other. In the last four, Santa Barbara has made 81 shots in 212 attempts, 38.2%. In fact, in the last three, the Gauchos have made just 59-of-162, 36.4%. In spite of the recent slump, they are still shooting 45.2% as a team, fourth in the conference.

 Shooting Slump Must Be Contagious
UCSB's shooting slump must be contagious because opponents seem to have come down with the same bug. On the year, the Gauchos are holding their opposition to 41.4% from the field, second in the Big West. In the last four games, however, that figure has taken a significant dip. Boise State, Cal State Northridge, Long Beach State and Cal Poly combined to make 76 of their 221 field goal attempts, 34.4%. In the Mar. 5 finale, Cal Poly made just 16-of-63 shots from the field, 25.4%, the lowest mark by a UCSB opponent this season. Previously the lowest percentage was held by UNLV when it shot 29.0% on Dec. 15.

 Gauchos Win Over UNLV Was First Over Ranked Opponent Since 1993
On Dec. 15, UCSB defeated UNLV by a 68-62 score. At the time, the Rebels were ranked 22nd in the nation. The win was the program's first over a ranked opponent since the Gauchos defeated UNLV on Feb. 22, 1993. The game, which was played at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, was UCSB's first road win over a ranked opponent since Jan. 7, 1988 when it also defeated UNLV. In its next game, the Gauchos played 10th-ranked (now 6th) San Diego State, their highest ranked opponent since Nov. 21, 2008 when they hosted top-ranked North Carolina at the Thunderdome.

 Thirtysomethings
On Nov. 20, Orlando Johnson scored 35 points in a home win over Fresno State. James Nunnally scored 34 points in UCSB's Dec. 4 win at Santa Clara and when he did so, it marked the first time since the 2001-02 season that two Gauchos have scored 30 or more points in a game in the same season. In 2001-02, Adama Ndiaye had a 31-point game in a win at Cal Poly and Mark Hull poured in 32 in UCSB's NCAA Tournament game against Arizona. Johnson has scored 30 or more four times this season.

The Bob Williams File
2010-11 is Bob Williams' 13th season as head coach at UC Santa Barbara. On Feb. 5, he recorded his 400th career win when his team defeated UC Davis in overtime, 93-86. In 2009-10, he guided the Gauchos to a 20-10 overall record, their second Big West Tournament title, and fourth NCAA Tournament berth ever. It was the program's second NCAA Tournament bid and its fifth regular season title in his 12 seasons. Following the season, Williams was named Big West Coach of the Year for the third time.

Last year also marked the third Williams coached Gaucho team to win 20 or more games and the 10th overall in program history. It was the second time in the three seasons that the UCSB won 20 or more.

In 2008-09, Williams coached the Gauchos to a 16-15 overall record and an 8-8 mark in the Big West Conference. The record, however, doesn't tell the entire story. UCSB was forced to overcome a myriad of injuries and at one point stood at 8-13 overall and 2-7 in league play.

In 2007-08, Williams led the Gauchos to a 23-9 overall record. The 23 wins were a school record, and UCSB also won its second Big West regular season title with a 12-4 conference record. Following the campaign, the Gauchos were awarded a bid to the National Invitation Tournament. It was the third time that a Williams-coached UCSB team advanced to postseason play.

The 2002 Gauchos won the school's first Big West Tournament title, advancing to the NCAA Tournament, and in 2003, they won the league's regular season title and played in the NIT.

In 1998-99, he took over a UCSB program that had not recorded a winning season in five years, and after seeing his team lose its first eight games that year - extending a two-season losing streak to 16 straight games - the Gauchos turned things around, winning 15 of their final 20 games and finishing on top in the Big West's Western Division.

Williams has a UCSB record of 214-169. He guided the program to 11 winning seasons in his first 13 years - including the last six in a row - and three 20 win seasons. He has a career record of 128-84 in Big West games and his .604 winning percentage in league games is tops among the league's active coaches.

Prior to his arrival at UCSB, Williams spent eight years at UC Davis and in those eight years, his teams recorded 20 or more wins five times and a 158-76 record. In Williams' final season, the Aggies went 31-2, won the NCAA Division II National Championship and he was named NABC Division II Coach of the Year. Including two seasons at Menlo College, Williams has an overall career record of 403-269 (.600) at four-year schools.

 Williams Wins 400th Career Game
UCSB's 93-86 come-from-behind overtime win over UC Davis on Feb. 5 was the 400th win of head coach Bob Williams' career. Williams is now 403-269 overall after the Gauchos' loss at Long Beach State on Feb. 26. When the Gauchos opened the season with a win over Denver, he became the third coach in school history to record 200 or more wins. On Dec. 31, when the Gauchos defeated Fresno Pacific, it was his 206th win and it moved Williams past Willie Wilton (205-163) and into second on the school's all-time victory list. Williams now has 213 wins. Jerry Pimm (1983-98) went 222-202 in 15 seasons at the helm of the Gauchos.